Valentine Rose: Ways to make your customers know you value them

Let’s face it – without customers, we don’t have a business. So why do so few companies remember to show some love to their existing customers? Usually, they are too busy trying to attract new customers, even though it costs five times as much to attract a new customer versus keeping an existing one.

Valentine’s Day is all about love, so there’s no better time to think about how you can do a better job of showing some love to the people who essentially sign your paycheck. Here are three easy and cheap ways to make sure that customers know you value them:

  1. Respond to everyone on social media. Whether you are acknowledging positive comments or trying to make trolls go away, it’s critical that you respond to everyone who mentions your brand on social media – whether they formally tag your brand account or not. Today’s customers expect a response from companies, and responding shows that you care about any and all feedback. Most importantly, it shows onlookers – i.e., prospects – what it’s like to do business with you.
  2. Send a handwritten thank-you note or send a rose. With postage rates increasing almost every year and email a comparatively cheaper channel, consumers are seeing far more email in their inboxes than letters in their mailbox. That presents an opportunity for companies who are willing to make the extra effort to thank their customers in a personalized, meaningful way. “Don’t underestimate the power of a handwritten note,” says customer experience expert Joey Coleman. “In an increasingly digital world, getting something in the mail that was clearly written by hand evinces a level of personal care and attention that is not frequently seen in the world of business.”
  3. Go the extra mile to help customers. Pet supplies company Chewy.com responds to negative product reviews on its website by suggesting other products that might better suit the customer’s needs. It also provides immediate refunds even if a customer hasn’t asked for one. This strategy immediately converts a dissatisfied customer into a happy one. Other companies have employed a “surprise and delight” strategy to go above and beyond customer expectations.
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